WWP 19 converted to power boat.

[Han Solo]

Hello everyone,

Couldn't find the introduction section so I do it here(Mod can move it). My name is Bill and I live just outside of Toronto. I drove 600 miles to pick up this West Wight Potter 19 in Decatur, IL. The PO converted it to power boat 10yrs ago to cruising small lakes, Canals and Mississippi river. That is also what I intend to use it for. Trent Severn Waterway, Rideau Canal, & Eric canal.

Time for electrical work that I know nothing about. Waiting for marine busbars, wires and inverter from Amazon. I will use an induction cook top inside the cabin.

-Is it possible to use the lithium battery(2x) to start the outboard? That would eliminate the cracking battery that weights more the both lithium batteries!
-The 2022 Honda BF 9.9 alternator is rated 12 amps. What is the best way to set up the outboard to charge my 200 amp lithium battery bank?

I read a guy tapped into the outboard tell tale and use the hot water for shower. Be nice to have on demand hot showers! anyone done it and how?

PO removed the 400 lbs keel and used cement block as ballast. I am thinking of using water jugs or bags instead. Is it a good idea?

Any suggestions will be greatly appropriated. Can't wait till next June!

 

[dlochner]

Welcome to SBO. You'll find a lot of experienced and knowledgeable sailors here.

Before jumping into electrical work, it would be a good idea to understand what you're getting into. Here are a few resources you will want to read before doing any work. The first is Charlie Wing's book the Boat Owner's illustrated Electrical Handbook or The 12 Volt Bible (Amazon Links), either of these boats will give you a good basic working knowledge of boat electrical systems.

Online time spent on Rod Collins (aka MaineSail) website will be time well spent. www.MarineHowTo.com.

-Is it possible to use the lithium battery(2x) to start the outboard? That would eliminate the cracking battery that weights more the both lithium batteries!
-The 2022 Honda BF 9.9 alternator is rated 12 amps. What is the best way to set up the outboard to charge my 200 amp lithium battery bank?

Lithium batteries are very different kettle of fish than traditional lead acid batteries. Before jumping into this, you should do a lot of research on lithium batteries and their care and feeding. What works for lead acid, will not necessarily work for lithium. Be wary of any company that advertises "drop in" lithium replacements for LA batteries.

Before diving into the peculiarities of lithium, first understand the charging characteristics of LA batteries. Can the outboard charge the Li batteries? Maybe, it depends on a lot of factors. Educate yourself about how Li batteries differ from LA batteries and learn more about the DC output from your outboard. Rod's site will give you a lot of good info on charging LA batteries. Start there.

Cruising the canals and small waterways sounds like a great adventure and the WWP will nice affordable boat to do it in. Before dumping hundreds of dollars into a new electrical system, learn more about the care and feeding of batteries, LA and Li.

 

[Han Solo]

Thanks Dave. I have researched on how to charge lithium batteries in vehicles. I upgraded the alternator in my van and added a 40 amp DC to DC charger, it works fine. May be I can do the same with a 10 amp DC to DC charger for the boat. I don't understand or know enough to experiment. I am asking anyone done it and how?

 

[jssailem]

Welcome to the SBO forum. Dave has given you a good start with solid data.
Perhaps it would be more manageable to prioritize your needs be it charge power or cooking systems as a place to start and complete, than trying to do it all at the same time.

It would easier to get assistance from the forum.

 

[Han Solo]

Capacity and charging the battery bank will not be a issue for next year. There are over 70 locks with electrical outlets in WC along the Trent Severn Waterway and Rideau Canal. Summer at Lake of the Woods down the road might be a problem. I am trying to set up the boat for 2 weeks stay without service. Can a lithium bank with 200 amps be use to start a BF 9.9hp safely?

 

[dlochner]

Can a lithium bank with 200 amps be use to start a BF 9.9hp safely?

That's not the question to ask. The question to ask, is how will the Li battery be recharged? Can the little 12 amp output of the Honda recharge the battery without destroying itself. A 9.9 hp outboard can be started with a pull cord, it doesn't take much energy to start a small OB.

When designing DC electrical systems, the first question to ask is what is the average daily usage and then the what is the peak usage and for how long. The second question is what is storage system that best suits the anticipated usage. The third is how will the storage system (battery) be restored. And finally fourth, what is is the monitoring system?

On a not so fine point, I doubt the OB has an alternator, although, things might have changed since I last used an OB to power a boat. Typically the OB had a Magneto which generates enough current to fire the spark plug(s). The current not needed to provide a spark is then fed to a rectifier which provides the the DC output for battery charging and running lights. This is not at all like an alternator in that it is unregulated and the current and voltage is wholly dependent on the OB's rpm. How this might effect the charging of a Li battery is unknown to me, however, I'd want to have a more definitive answer before I relied on the OB charging the battery.

 

[Han Solo]

Did some digging during my morning coffee, outboard under 50hp require 250 CCA. 20AH flooded.

Yamaha recommends a cranking-type battery that can have distilled water added to its cells when necessary. Maintenance-Free, sealed, or Gel batteries are not recommended because they may not be compatible with Yamaha's charging system. https://www.dekabatteries.com/assets/base/0406MarineApplicationslayout.pdf

So eliminating the lead aid battery is not possible. I will buy a small tractor size lead aid battery and 100 AH lithium battery combo with a switch.

 

[dlochner]

So eliminating the lead aid battery is not possible. I will buy a small tractor size lead aid battery and 100 AH lithium battery combo with a switch.

How are you going to charge the lithium battery?

 

[Han Solo]

At the 70 locks along the way. They all have 115v outlets in WC. Or moor at a marina once awhile, I need fresh veggies, potable water and fuel from time to time...

 

[dlochner]

At the 70 locks along the way. They all have 115v outlets in WC. Or moor at a marina once awhile, I need fresh veggies, potable water and fuel from time to time...

That may be accurate for the Trent Severn and Rideau, however access to shore power along the Erie Canal is very limited. Only a handful of locks have power available.

 

[SycloneDriver]

Capacity and charging the battery bank will not be a issue for next year. There are over 70 locks with electrical outlets in WC along the Trent Severn Waterway and Rideau Canal. Summer at Lake of the Woods down the road might be a problem. I am trying to set up the boat for 2 weeks stay without service. Can a lithium bank with 200 amps be use to start a BF 9.9hp safely?

I would say yes. I measured the cranking amps on my old Johnson 2 cycle outboard at 38 amps. That's probably a lot less than your induction cook top.
As far as charging from the OB, look into using a small LA starter battery and a small DC-DC charger.

 

[Han Solo]

That's what I did with my van, upgraded the alternator to 160 amp, added thicker gauge wiring(fused) with a 40amp dc to dc charger. I only charge my battery bank when driving on Hwy, zero issues. My #1 objective was to rid the LA cranking battery. Looks like its not doable, not even with AGM. The 12v fan, 400/800 watts heater and rice cooker(350w) are a must. Induction cook top can be replace with a 5lbs bottle propane and cook outside.

 

[SycloneDriver]

Just be be clear. I don't think I would use the lithium batteries as start batteries unless you can devise a method to prevent the OB form overcharging the batteries. Example - you spend the night at the dock and charge your batteries to 100% from shore power. That morning you start you motor and head out, your OB is now putting power into fully charged lithium batteries. Not a good idea.

 

[Siamese]

Why not just pull start the motor? If it's in an awkward location, then just attach a longer piece of line to the handle on the pull start and yank.

 

[SycloneDriver]

That's what I did with my van, upgraded the alternator to 160 amp, added thicker gauge wiring(fused) with a 40amp dc to dc charger. I only charge my battery bank when driving on Hwy, zero issues. My #1 objective was to rid the LA cranking battery. Looks like its not doable, not even with AGM. The 12v fan, 400/800 watts heater and rice cooker(350w) are a must. Induction cook top can be replace with a 5lbs bottle propane and cook outside.

I absolutely love my propane grill, I just bought a new one to replace the decades old one. I would agree that propane is better in this application than an induction stove top.

An electric space heater is going to be a power hog, 800 watts is over 65 amps at 12 volts. What about an electric blanket instead?

 

[Han Solo]

I will need a small cranking battery and the outboard will only be used to charge the LA battery. The electric heater has 2 settings, 400w and 800w. I only use 400w setting in my van, boat is smaller and during warmer weather.

What is the best way to remove that disgusting carpet on the roof? Also the adhesive is old and fading, any suggestions on removing that as well. I spent 4 days cleaning the boat. A lot of work still need done before the boat is ready for prime time. The PO is an older gentleman. I think he had enough of it and just want the boat gone. I paid less than the cost of the 2022 outboard.

 

[Han Solo]

Why not just pull start the motor? If it's in an awkward location, then just attach a longer piece of line to the handle on the pull start and yank.

Say what? I want to add a power tilt IF the cost is under $500.